


A Tale Most Unexpected

by tansybells



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Bedtime Stories, Family Fluff, Gen, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Reminiscing, Rest Day Zine, Spoilers for Flayn and Seteth, Spoilers for Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:48:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24515659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tansybells/pseuds/tansybells
Summary: "Do you remember the stories you used to write for me, Brother?""I remember them, yes. I wrote them for you. It is out of the question that I would forget.""Would you tell one to me, perhaps?"Flayn requests a bedtime story from Seteth, but what she receives is a tale far closer to home.
Relationships: Flayn & Seteth (Fire Emblem)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	A Tale Most Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> I had the chance to write for the [Rest Day Charity Zine,](https://twitter.com/RestDayZine) some time ago, and this is one of the two pieces I submitted! The other one is some marihilda fluff, and it's available right [here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24516313) ;3c

"Do you remember the stories you used to write for me, Brother?” The false moniker felt heavy upon her tongue, but it weighed even heavier upon her heart. Yet Flayn smiled nonetheless at her father, who sat at a desk across from her with a stack of assignments to grade and a terse frown warping the otherwise kind expression she held so dearly. Between them, a low-burning fire cracked and popped.

Flayn herself was fortunate enough to have no assignments, but a thick quilt surrounding her as she cradled a mug of tea in thin hands. She looked down at it with half-lidded eyes and basked in the rising steam that washed over her face before taking a delicate sip.

There seemed to be few levels of heat that she, a child of dragons, could not endure, yet years of schooling in the art of appearing human had taught her that tea must be far cooler than she preferred if she wished to avoid raising suspicion. And as much as it saddened her, Seteth had taught her the follies of letting her guard down even in these rare moments of familial companionship.

“It is in times such as these,” she continued, knowing full well that her father would respond only once she said something worthy of response, “that memories of our time together rise to the surface of my mind. For so long, it was just the two of us. I feared sleep and you feared for my health—is it any wonder there was such great solace to be found in the comfort of a warm fire?”

Seteth finally glanced up from the parchment then, the firelight dancing in his eyes bringing to Flayn’s mind the true—albeit oft-forgotten—fire that burned deep within his soul itself. But there was no anger to be found there, as many students complained. For Flayn, and Flayn alone, there was nothing to be seen in his eyes but boundless love and concern.

“I remember them, yes.” Cool and serene, he dipped his quill in a nearby inkwell before scratching another note on the topmost paper. “I wrote them for you. It is out of the question that I would forget.”

“Would you tell one to me, perhaps?”

Seteth set his quill and stack of papers alike to the side.

“Are you feeling unwell, Flayn?” he asked as he met her eyes once more. “It used to be that you only requested a story when there was something on your mind.”

“Or when I found myself unable to sleep.” Flayn giggled, shaking her head as soon as she had another sip of tea. “It is nothing so serious as that, Brother. I was merely reminiscing.”

She paused. He was clearly busy; would it be too presumptuous of her to make the request that weighed on her mind? And then considering the importance of his administrative position, there was so much that he had to do! Surely it was an impossible request.

But her father must have taken notice of her hesitation, for he leaned forwards and propped his elbows up on his desk. “I am aware that you are fond of… reminiscing, as you say,” he said. “Yet perhaps a certain degree of forthrightness is necessary if we are to adequately arrange for your care, Flayn. Surely Lady Rhea would-”

“Brother!” She took care to avoid raising her voice, despite the recurring frustration of Seteth’s overbearing nature, but it was impossible to entirely suppress her rising irritation. “I feel more than fine, I assure you! It has simply been quite some time since you told me a story. But if you have a moment to spare…”

Flayn trailed off meaningfully, clearing her expression in the hopes of appearing as heart-rendingly pitiful as she could manage. Seteth sighed and ran his hand through his hair, then nodded with a faint smile. Whether it was fondness or resignation that fueled his agreement, Flayn did not know, but did it truly matter? Her request had been accepted.

“Is there any particular story that you wished to hear, Flayn?” he asked, rising from his seat and holding out a hand for her to take. “I remember several from times past, but if you would like, there is one that I have been preparing in the hopes of releasing it to the children of the public.”

Flayn took the offered hand with a thoughtful hum. The thought of hearing an entirely new tale was indeed an attractive one. Yet as she pulled herself upright and made her way to the small, offset room that had been provided for her to rest in, she found that the answer was not one she had to search deeply to find.

“One from the past would be most appropriate, I believe,” she said, crossing the threshold to her room. “Your stories were always the one thing that allowed me to sleep without fear, and I cannot help but think… well, there is the chance that they may have the same effect tonight.”

“I see.” Seteth fell silent as he dropped her hand and allowed her to climb into bed. His concern was painfully obvious, but she had to appreciate that he refrained from voicing it, even as he sat down upon the chair beside her bed and watched her.

“Brother.” Calmly propping herself up against her pillows, she pulled a coverlet up over her chest and met his gaze expectantly. “I am ready to listen.”

“Very well,” her father said with a fond—if weary—smile. “This is a story of a man and a woman.”

Flayn drew her brows together. “I do not recall a story that began this way,” she muttered. Seteth chuckled warmly as he reached out to clasp one of her hands within his own.

“I changed my mind,” he said, patting the top of her hand. “But do not worry. I am certain that you will still appreciate what I have to tell tonight.”

Flayn hummed, accepting his explanation. As much as she had thought an old story would be ideal, she could not deny the appeal of hearing something new—especially considering the promise Seteth had just made.

“This is the story of a man and a woman,” Seteth began again, “who loved each other very much.”

She held her tongue. Her fondness for romance novels had long ago introduced her to the matter of certain recreational activities, but bringing her father’s attention to her illicit knowledge was simply out of the question. 

“She was a beautiful young lady who spent her days serving the community around her. And he, despite being fully aware of her status, found himself circling back to see her whenever he could make the time.” 

He smiled as some fond memory overtook him. Then, his eyes focused on a distant point Flayn could not herself find, he continued the tale. “She was needlessly kind, resplendent in her gentleness, and always found a reason to help even the most undeserving. She was a bit like you in that regard, Flayn.” 

And with that comparison, it dawned upon Flayn that the story her father wished to tell was that of himself and her mother. It was not one she was unfamiliar with, as she had begged to hear the tale time and time again as a young girl, but it had been so long since she had let herself think of her mother that it came as a surprise nonetheless. 

“How long did it take for you… for the man to realize that he loved her?” she asked. 

Seteth chuckled. “The man was very stubborn. He loved her almost from the start, but he was so stubborn that he refused to acknowledge his feelings for her until… well, for a very long time. He made so many excuses to avoid it, Flayn. There was too much of a difference between them, he said one day. He was scared to outlive her, he said the next.”

“But one day, the woman came to him with a handful of flowers, the shyest of smiles, and the epiphany that while she knew he was likely to long outlive her, she wanted to spend the remainder of her life with him anyway. It was only then that the man allowed himself to fall prey to his true emotions.”

“And so it came to pass that they bound themselves together in marriage, and with time, they brought a beautiful little girl into the world.” He sighed. “You should have seen your mother, Flayn. You were so small when you were born, terrifyingly so. She held you close in every waking moment, as if doing so would somehow transfer her own vitality to you instead.”

Flayn listened intently, savoring each word of her father’s story. The topic of her mother was an unexpected one. She had several memories of the three of them together, as it had not been until the war that she had passed away, but it was rare to hear Seteth speak of her. With the exception of their occasional visits to her memorial, he had refused to acknowledge the truth of their relationship since the moment he had decided to conceal it. 

“We did not know what to expect, seeing as you are the first and last of your kind. But in witnessing you grow into the kind, compassionate, and strong young woman you have become, I cannot help but think that maybe there was something to her theory after all.”

“Do you think she would be proud of me, Father?” The title slipped out, unbidden, and Flayn’s voice trembled with the threat of tears. “I have been so weak ever since I first fell asleep, and I can hardly do any of the things I once could.”

Seteth let her hand go, causing Flayn’s heart to clench in fear, but he only reached out and brushed her bangs over her forehead with a calm, methodical motion. “I have no doubt about it, dear child,” he said. “I am proud of you for the both of us, and that has never changed. It never will.”

Then he leaned forwards to place a gentle kiss on Flayn’s forehead. And as much as she wished to reach up and hug him, the weight of oncoming sleep left her heavy enough that all she could do was sink further into the pillows that surrounded her.

“Please, make sure I wake up,” she murmured as the room around her faded out to black and she drifted off to a contented sleep. From afar, she heard her father say something. What it was, she could not tell, but simply knowing that he was there was more than enough.

Sleep, for so long, had been an inescapable terror. Yet in that moment, Flayn felt secure in the knowledge that whether she were to wake or not, she would be held and loved nonetheless.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading! Flayn is a sweet, sweet girl, surrounded by enigma, and any day I get to write her is a good one. I always wish we got to learn more about her. 
> 
> I'm sorry about the delay for [sung me moonstruck;](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23450230/chapters/56211523) some irl stuff has been getting in the way. 
> 
> Thoughts? Ideas? Just want to chat? I can be found at my [tumblr](https://www.tansybells.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://www.twitter.com/tansybells). Thank you for your time! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated ❤


End file.
